The Result Under The Result
Chris Richards says he will be ready for the World Cup opener on June 12 against Paraguay. The center back tore two ligaments in his ankle last month, missing the final weeks of his club season and the start of the USMNT's pre-World Cup camp.
"I feel good," Richards told Sports Illustrated on Friday. "When I first got into camp after two long days of travel, I had a bit of a swollen ankle, but I've been doing treatment almost 24 hours [per day], so I feel really good, and I'm getting ready for the opener a week from today. I'm really looking forward to it."
Richards returned to partial team training on Friday, his first session with the full group. He was designated unavailable for Saturday's friendly against Germany, but the medical staff cleared him for contact work earlier this week. "They figured it was no rush for me to get back for the friendly, so we just took it at our own pace," he added.
The Useful Context
Manager Mauricio Pochettino said the decision on Richards will come after the Germany match. "We have, after that game, the possibility in the next few days to assess him and see his ankle and then to make a decision," Pochettino said Friday. The roster submission deadline is 24 hours before the first World Cup match.
That is the kind of injury timeline that turns roster planning into calendar management.
Richards, 26, has earned 36 caps for the USMNT since his senior debut in 2020. He scored in the 2023 Concacaf Nations League title win against Canada and added two more goals in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, including a header in the final against Mexico. He was voted 2025 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year in January.
The Part Still Unclear
He missed the 2022 World Cup in Qatar due to a leg injury sustained two months before the tournament—a setback that makes his current recovery particularly significant. "For me, it's just to be the guy that people can lean on or look to for guidance, but also for strength," he said.
Richards has partnered with Stelo, a biosensor company that tracks his glucose levels to optimize recovery and energy after training. The device worn on his right arm provides real-time data he uses to fuel his body during the short window before the tournament.
Without a fully healthy Richards, the USMNT's defensive core looks considerably thinner for what Pochettino has called a goal of a historic semifinal run this summer.